What the Legends Say
by Queen of Zan
Summary: After Oot, while Link is in Termina. Doesn't follow Link until later in the story. Very stange love square, it may suprise you at the end. Link is gone, and no-one knows what to do when an evil force threatens Hyrule once more. 'Tis a tad funny.
1. Intro to Hyrule

Disclaimer: Uh, I think these are boring, but I'll do one anyway, 'cause I'm too poor to be sued! So, um, I don't own any of the characters in this story, unless I make up a character, which I kinda doubt.Um, as far as I know, the characters are property of Nintendo, and I'm not with Nintendo, so they're not mine. Well, enjoy and give HONEST reviews. If it blows, tell me! I WANT TO KA-NO!!!  
  
After the events that had led to Ganandorf's defeat by the Hero of Time, everything had gone back to normal. But what had happened before Ganondorf stole the Triforce had still happened. The only people who remembered what had happened what Ganondorf had done, were the six Sages Link, and Zelda. Or at least those were the only people that had been found that could remember. Navi, who most of the Eight Heroes, as the Sages, Link and Zelda were called, agreed that Navi would remember, could she be found. A day came when Link went to Zelda, told her he was going to look for Navi, gave her a hug, and left. Once Link got out of the castle, he went to Lon Lon Ranch and said good-bye to Malon. "But why are you leaving, fairy-boy?" She asked him. Link replied, "Because I'm not a fairy boy anymore. Navi has disappeared so I must look for her. Bye, Malon. I'll see you again, I hope." And then he called Epona and left. Curiously, the Happy Mask salesman had also disappeared.  
  
Link hasn't been seen for many years in Hyrule. Princess Zelda's father had died, and Zelda was a queen. She hadn't gotten married, not for lack of offers, because she was a most beautiful and kind queen, but because she insisted that the Hero of Time would like to see. Her real reason, though, was because she wanted to marry him, or at least have his approval.  
  
Princess Ruto's situation was very similar. Her father had become sick and gone to live at Lake Hylia for his health. So Ruto was now the Zora Queen. She had not gotten married, although she too had grown into a beautiful young woman. Queen Ruto had received many proposals, just as Queen Zelda had, from many handsome Zoras, Hylians, and even a Goron, but had refused them all saying there was some small fault with each. She too, truly awaited Link's return.  
  
Malon was now a beautiful woman, just like both queens were. Talon had finally remarried and gone to live with his new wife, so Malon was the ranch owner. Old Ingo had gone to live with the Gerudos, who actually liked him, man that he is. (Although, they treat him like one of their children, so perhaps they think he is more a girl than a man.) Malon had hired some kids from the village to help with the ranch, because she didn't have time, what with racing her horses. She, too, ignored all the boys and men proposing to her, saying she had no time, but she too waited for fairy Boy to return, if not to marry him, than to get his advice an approval.  
  
Queen Zelda, Queen Ruto, and Malon had all become good friends and got together every other Monday night. To talk and mess around. They had a blast, but also talked for another reason: to talk about Link. They didn't tell each other that they all secretly loved him, but they still could talk about how cute he was and what he might be doing.  
  
Hyrule was getting along just fine, even without one of the Eight Heroes, without The Hero of Time. 


	2. Dreams

A/N: Um, the "~"s are quotation marks for people's thoughts. So, um, enjoy! he, he...  
  
Then, one day, a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom, and Zelda, after many years, and another dream, another prophecy.  
  
In her dream, she, Ruto, and Malon were standing on top of a hill, with a clear view of the land. It was a barren wasteland, with dark clouds above. Suddenly, six beams of light shot out in a ring around the land. For a moment, it looked as though the clouds would break, but they did not, and the light faded. Then, Zelda changed into Link and the dark clouds became lighter and then – There was a loud bang, followed by a dog's bark, followed by a yowl from a cat.  
  
Zelda closed her eyes ~What just happened? And why did it happen right then? Just as the clouds lightened! Grr! I wonder if I could get back to sleep? Even if I did, I doubt that the dream would come back. I think I'll send for Ruto and Malon. No, I should call the Sages. No, I'll get everyone together. That way, we can all decide what to do. ~ She opened her eyes and saw a dark shape, some how familiar, good, and bad at once. She blinked and it was gone. ~ I'm imagining things! Probably just nerves from the dream. ~  
  
So Queen Zelda got up, took a shower, and put on an old dress. It was the most comfortable thing she owned. She had had that dress made to look like the one she'd worn the day she met Link. ~Ah~ She thought and closed her eyes. ~ If I could only see him again. Zelda suddenly got a strange feeling. Her eyes snapped open. By the window, she saw the shape again. Familiar, but not, good, but bad, wonderful to see, but also terrible to see. It filled her heart with joy, but also made her terribly sad.  
  
Queen Zelda blinked again, and it was gone once more.  
  
~This is getting weirder by the second! ~  
  
Zelda walked purposefully toward the smallest table in the room and picked up a small treasure chest, about a foot long and eight inches wide. She opened it and pulled out a gray ocarina. The day Link left, he'd given it to her. "It's something to remember me by. If you ever need help, play this song." He had said. She had never played the song, but still remembered it. It was a simple, haunting tune, and it sounded rather hollow.  
  
But it wasn't the song Link had taught her that Zelda played, but a different song, a mix of all the temple songs and Zelda's Lullaby. Then she played Epona's song. Zelda then polished the ocarina and put it back in the chest. Then she ate a quick breakfast, which took 20 minutes. But then, she was a queen.  
  
Queen Zelda then went to the stable, had her favorite horse, Snowflake, saddled, and rode to Impa's house in Kakariko.  
  
Malon woke suddenly.  
  
~I was having the strangest dream! There were dark clouds and Zelda changed into Link! And then the clouds got light, and then there was another Link! How strange! But the dream wasn't complete, somehow. I just know it went on longer. Why did I wake up? ~  
  
Malon yawned. "Gosh, I'm starving! I think I'll go get some food." She said aloud. Then she blinked.  
  
A strange feeling filled her, and she looked around. There, by her door, was a strange shape. As she stared she thought it looked familiar, but at the same time not. It was good, but also evil, wonderful, but terrible.  
  
Malon was greatly puzzled. She opened her mouth to speak, but sneezed instead. And of course, you can't keep your eyes open while you sneeze, so the thing, or shape, was gone. ~Drat! I wish I had been able to ask it who or what it was! ~ Malon thought.  
  
She got up. "Well," she said out lout to herself, "I guess I should get dressed." She yawned again, got up, and took a bath.  
  
Then she got dressed in the outfit she had made to look like the one she had worn as a child, the one she had worn when she met Link.  
  
Malon sighed and closed her eyes. ~If only I could see him once more...~ She sighed again and opened her eyes. She spotted the dark shape by her dresser. It seemed to be leaning on it...~Curious, Malon thought.  
  
Again, it looked familiar, but not, glad, but also sad, wonderful, but terrible. It made her so unbelievably happy, but also so sad. It seemed to be smiling, yet also frowning.  
  
"Who's there?" Malon managed to say.  
  
"No one," the shape said. "Everyone. Someone you love, someone you hate. Someone you've seen before. Someone whom you've never met. All your hopes and dreams. All your nightmares. Someone who loves you. Someone who hates you." The voice of the thing was now trembling and sounded like someone who was trying not to cry, but was anyway. "I'm everything and everyone, but also nothing at all. I know you recognize me, or you think you do, but you really don't. But I have a message for you and all people. Listen . Good-bye, Malon."  
  
Malon blinked again and it was gone once more.  
  
~That voice...it sounded...so familiar...but I can't quite place it...it's so strange... and what did it mean, listen? ~  
  
Malon shook her head and went downstairs to eat. After she had finished her breakfast, she went upstairs and took a very old bow and quiver down from the wall.  
  
The gift Link gave me... almost never more needed, "Malon said to herself.  
  
Before he had left, Link had visited her to get Epona, and he had given her the bow and quiver.  
  
"Malon," he had said, "I'm giving you this. I won't need it, but you might." He had given her the bow and quiver, with 30 arrows in it. "You can use Fire, Ice, and Light arrows if you use this bow and these arrows. If you ever need help or advice," Link said, "just fire this," He held up a golden arrow, "this arrow, then one fire, one ice, and 2 light arrows into the sky all right after each other. Help or advice will come to you. Goodbye, Malon."  
  
That was what he had said to her. She had never fired the golden arrow and she didn't fire it now. She picked up a regular arrow, fitted it to the string, and walked to the window.  
  
Just before she shot the arrow, she heard Epona's Song being played by an ocarina. Malon heard it as clearly as if it was next to her, yet it was faint. She knew immediately that Zelda had called her.  
  
She grabbed the quiver, stuffed the arrow back in, put everything on its strap on her back, scribbled a note to her workers and went to the stable. She saddled her fastest horse, her favorite, Merlin. Then Malon rode out of the ranch toward Kakariko village.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ha-Choo!"  
  
Queen Ruto woke with a start.  
  
"Who's there?" she asked.  
  
"Oh sorry, my queen," a voice said. "I was just passing by the water fall. I sneezed, I'm afraid too loud, so I must have woke you. I am so sorry my queen!"  
  
"Ah no, it is okay, Zuru." Queen Ruto said, for she had recognized Zuru's voice and manner. "Go on it's okay, you just startled me. I was having a very strange dream."  
  
"Oh, well then, ok, if you're fine. Good-bye Queen Ruto." Zuru managed to get out.  
  
"Wait!" Queen Ruto shouted.  
  
"Y-yes?" Zuru stammered.  
  
Ruto walked over and stepped through the waterfall that acted as a door.  
  
"Why were you walking around by my chamber at night?"  
  
"Well, er, um, I was um, well," Zuru stammered. "Uh, er, um, well if you must know I was, well...'  
  
"Spit it out!" Ruto commanded.  
  
"Well, I was... I was..." he began "I was going to visit Lulu to see if she wanted to go to Lake Hylia to go swimming." Zuru said the last bit in a hurry, as if he wanted to get it over with.  
  
"Oh, well go." Ruto said.  
  
"Really?" Zuru said. He was clearly surprised.  
  
"Yes, really. It's none of my business what you and Lulu do. Go ahead? Have fun!" Ruto told him. He left, shocked.  
  
~Crazy. Barking mad. ~  
  
Ruto sighed, and climbed back into bed. ~I'm not going to be able to sleep.~ poor Ruto thought. She yawned and fell asleep.  
  
Queen Ruto was staring at a frozen wasteland. She was standing on top of a hill with Zelda and Malon, looking at the land. There were dark clouds all over the land. All of a sudden, six beams of ice shot out in a ring around the land, into the clouds. The clouds froze, and looked as if they would shatter, but they thawed and the beams of ice shattered instead.  
  
It got darker, and the clouds became thicker. Pretty soon, there was a dark fog everywhere except the hill where Zelda, Ruto, and Malon stood. The girls all looked at each other, and as they did, Zelda changed into Link, but as he had been when Ganondorf had controlled Hyrule. Link/Zelda also had deliberate mistakes. It still looked more like Link, but the hair was too long, and the eyes were purple, not blue.  
  
The arms and legs were also a bit slimmer. Then Link/Zelda blinked, and Ruto noticed that the lashes were longer.  
  
Then the dark clouds got lighter. There was a flash, then there was another Link, standing next to Link/Zelda. This second Link looked exactly like he had when he was temple crawling.  
  
The clouds lightened to almost white, although they were still gray. They started to break up, then stopped. They started to solidify again.  
  
Then both Links drew their swords in unison, and the clouds began to break up once more.  
  
Both Links sheathed their swords and drew their bows. They both fit arrows to the strings, and both arrows stated to glow with a light that was obviously magical. The Links fired the arrows into the clouds and they disappeared in a blinding light. Then the land of ice thawed and became a green field. Then, the Link that looked a little like Zelda changed back into Zelda.  
  
Zelda and Link hugged, then Ruto and , Link, then Malon and Link.  
  
Then the dream faded away.  
  
Ruto woke up right after the dream ended. She lay in bed, awake, but her eyes were closed. ~What was that about? It seemed much more, I dunno, important than normal dreams. I think I should call the Sages. Maybe Malon, too. She's good with dreams.~ Ruto yawned and opened her eyes. She spotted a dark shape leaning against the wall opposite her bed, next to the silent waterfall that acted as the door to Ruto's chamber.  
  
"How did you get in here?" Ruto demanded of the shape. She was scared stiff, but she was so used to being a Queen, her demanding tone was instinct.  
  
"By magic," the shape said simply.  
  
~That voice...it sounds so...familiar...but not...~ Ruto thought.  
  
"What are you?" she asked.  
  
"A very good question," the shape said approvingly, and then laughed.  
  
The laugh sounded like two people's laughs she knew. She couldn't place either one, but they sounded distinctly different. One sounded good, and the other evil.  
  
~Very strange!~  
  
"To answer your question, I am going to give you a more direct answer than I give most, Princess, um, Queen Ruto. I am a messenger, sent by two people. They don't know they sent me, as they are both a bit preoccupied. Yet, I am the one who cares for you the most. Here is your message: Listen. I'll see you again, Prin—Queen.  
  
With that, the shape simply disappeared.  
  
Ruto sat, dumbfounded, for a minute, then decided she should consult with the Sages.  
  
~Guess I'd better get up.~ Queen Ruto yawned. She looked in the mirror hanging on the wall to adjust her crown and cape, signifying her Queenship over the Zoras.  
  
As she was fixing her crown, she saw a dark shape by her bed. She looked at it for a moment, realized what it was, then turned around to look at it. But when she looked, nothing was there.  
  
Yet, when she looked in the mirror again, it was there. The messenger was there, in the same place, unmoving. He/she/it was leaning nonchalantly against the wall, arms crossed.  
  
Ruto looked back at it. Again, it was gone. Again, when she looked into the mirror, it was there. ~Aha! I do not know what I'm "Aha"-ing about, but this does seem to be significant. I'll have to tell the Sages about this.~  
  
"What do you want?" she asked.  
  
I want nothing. I am simply a messenger.  
  
Ruto stifled a scream. The "voice" was not coming from the shape she could see in her mirror. It seemed to be just in her head.  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
Ah, the voice sounded disappointed, I thought we'd hit that snag. You see, I don't know. Nor do either of the people who sent me.  
  
~Wha? That doesn't make any sense...~  
  
No, it doesn't.  
  
"WHAT? How did you know what I was thinking?" Ruto was know scared.  
  
The same way you hear me.  
  
"Ah..."  
  
I will say no more.  
  
The shape fell silent. It said no more. Ruto could still see it in the mirror, but it stood stock-still.  
  
Ruto shook her head. She walked out into the water, through her waterfall door. ~Ah, the times Link dove off this waterfall...~  
  
She quickly caught a fish and ate it for breakfast. She went back to her chamber and wrote a note to her people, explaining what to do. Then she grabbed a harp from beside the mirror. The shape was still there, but it had moved. Ruto had a funny feeling it had followed and watched the whole time.  
  
The harp was a family heirloom. It was a hand-harp. It was solid gold, with engravings, except for the strings. They were pure Gerudo silver. The harp made the most beautiful sounds. Once, she had played it for Link, before he left. He had loved it.  
  
"You play well," he had said.  
  
"Oh, um, thanks, Link," she had said, blushing.  
  
He had looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, "Can you follow along?" pulling out a small gray ocarina.  
  
"Uh, sure," Ruto had replied, startled.  
  
Link played a short, simple, haunting tune, paused, looked at her, then repeated it. He looked at Ruto expectantly. She looked confused, then realized she should repeat the song on her harp. She got it right the first time.  
  
"Wow, that's good. Well, bye, Ruto. See later," he had said, waving good- bye.  
  
Link had never told her what that song did or when to play it.  
  
Queen Ruto sighed. ~I wish I could see him again.~  
  
Just as she raised her harp to play a tune that she and the other Sages had composed to call them all together, she heard the tune, played from an ocarina. ~Okay, then. Guess I'll leave.~  
  
She lovingly put the harp back and walked out of the room. She swam out into the river, towards Kakariko.  
  
A/N: Yay! It's finally done! It took me like, two hours to type this. I'm a really slow typer. Anyway, I am liking of this chapter. I think it's good. Please review, I don't care if you flame. Just be HONEST!!!!!! I swear, I only got one review on this. How horrible. Oh, well, I like it. So does my mom. She's the one who's actually beat the game. I've only watched her, told her what to do, and generally annoyed her. YAY ME!! And thanks to my one reviewer, Lunatic Chaos. Isn't that a great pen name? I love it. Anyway, thanks for the compliment, dude(s?) I'm glad you think so. Anyway, here's another chapter!(Duh!)SHUT UP!! Um, *coughs embarassedly* that never happened! Really! So, if you think I'm funny, a good writer, a waste of time, whatever, check out my other fic which should be updated soon. Rebel sheep say "Moo!" and have a terrib-um, WONDERFUL day! He, he...  
  
(Oooh! Six pages! *happy dance*)  
  
p.s. Can someone tell/show me how to get italics, bolds, and underlines to show up? THX 


	3. Meeting of the Sages

Disclaimer: If you're at this story, you probably know by now that this is FAN fiction, therefore all of this came from the imagination of me and, occasionally, one or two of my friends, not any officials of Nintendo. So ha. You can't sue me.

A/N: So, yeah, I'm sorry I haven't updated this, my muse took a vacation…but then, one Thursday, I glanced at the page the story was on in my notebook and my muse bit me. I spent the next two hours writing this third chapter of What the Legends Say. Somehow, I don't think that the title will change, and I've already changed the genre once or twice, but I'm pretty sure the rating will go up towards the end…Anyway, I'm pretty sure you're sick of my ranting and excuses, so please read and review.

On to adventure!

charges heroically into a wall

Chapter Three: A Meeting of Sages

"Hey, guys. Ruto here yet?" a windswept Zelda asked Rauru, a sleepy-looking Nabooru, a very awake Saria, a Darunia drowsing in his chair, half-curled up, and an alert Malon.

"No," Malon said to Zelda, shaking her head.

"Mmm," Darunia said, looking up at Zelda rather vaguely, "why is _she _here?" he asked as he jerked his head (do Gorons really _have_ heads?) toward Malon.

"She is here because I think she should be. This is _important!_" Zelda replied, glaring at Darunia. He looked down submissively, then thunked his head on the table, going back into his half-sleep state.

"With all due respect, _Zelda_," Nabooru said, purposely not using a royal title, "I would like to have a _specific_ reason why Malon is here." Nabooru was obviously not scared of Zelda in her tired state, unlike Darunia.

Zelda pursed her lips in a way that made her seem rather like a very stern professor. "I'll explain everything to _everyone_ at the same time. Geez, Nabooru, get _over _yourself!"

"Uh!" Nabooru sounded very insulted.

At that moment, Ruto walked in. "Sorry, I had to dry off. I swam," she said by way of explanation.

With a sudden flash, Impa appeared. In her own house. In Kakariko. Where all the other Sages were. Already. Before her. Get the point?

"Impa!" Zelda said exasperatedly. "Where _have _you been?"

"Um…" Impa said. Or rather, didn't say.

"_Impaaa-aaa!_"

"Oh, no, not multiple syllables! No! Help!" Impa appealed to the other Sages.

Rauru: "No. Just no."

Ruto: "As if! You got yourself into this, you get yourself out."

Darunia: "No, I don't WANT to die!"

Nabooru: "Why would _I _help _you_?"

Saria: "Girl I know better. This is Zelda we're talking about."

Impa: "Damn!"

Zelda: "Now, Impa, that's not polite."

Nabooru: "Yes, oh mighty Shadow Sage, remember, you're a lady." She snickered.

Impa suddenly burst out, "GO AWAY! IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I WAS DOING! LEAVE ME ALONE!" She's obviously a _tad _upset, because she rarely yells. By rarely, I mean once every ten years.

"Geez, alright, don't have a cow," Nabooru said quickly. "Now," she said, turning to Zelda, "What did you call us for, why is farm-girl here, and do NOT mess with me," she finished warningly.

"Okay then," Zelda said. As everyone was there (though not everyone was awake), she had no problem telling exactly _why_ she was acting spazzy. "I think I had another prophecy last night. And Malon is here because she is my friend, she's good with dreams, and I am the Queen and I want her here. So there." She would have stuck out her tongue, but that would have been childish. Apparently, she didn't know she was already acting childish.

"I had a weird dream, too," Ruto mentioned suddenly.

"Hey, so did I," Malon said, suddenly remembering her cryptic dream.

"Really?" Zelda's eyes widened with shock as she stared at the two, mouth open.

"Ahem." Rauru cleared his throat importantly. "I believe I know what this means." Murmurs of excitement came from the crowd. Of Sages. From the crowd of Sages. "It means," here he paused dramatically. Rauru was good at dramatic pauses. "It means something is going to happen."

"DUH!" everyone shouted at him, causing him to fall over with surprise.

"Could you _please_ tell us something we don't know?" Nabooru asked patronizingly.

"Ah…no," Rauru admitted.

"Then shut up," Nabooru "cheerfully" replied, a dangerous smile on her face.

Saria gave the attitude-driven Spirit Sage a Look, before saying, "So, Zelda, tell us about the dream." She then screwed up her face thoughtfully as she realized that she sounded like a shrink.

Darunia suddenly jerked in his chair, raised his head, and said quite clearly, "All Gemini's to the raspberry hats!"

All the other people rolled their eyes. Darunia was really great, when he was full awake. When he was asleep, he was an idiot. A very _large _idiot. (pun intended)

Zelda sighed before saying, "Well, it's not just the dream."

"What?" everyone (excepting, of course, Darunia) said simultaneously. Ruto and Malon were now even _more_ interested.

"Well, I sort of…um," Zelda began, as if she was attempting to summon the correct words, "I sort of had a "visitor" right after I had the dream."

"What sort of visitor?" Malon asked quickly, remembering her encounter with the shadowy figure.

"Well, it was a shadowy sort of visitor, and looked…how do I describe it?" she murmured.

"Familiar, unfamiliar, heartwarming, terrifying, ominous, good, and evil all at the same time?" Ruto suggested.

"Yes, that's exactly—wait! How did you know?" Zelda asked. Evidently, Zelda has lost her wisdom. Bit sad, really. This is all getting so very predictable.

"I'm guessing because the same shadow visited her, as it did me," Malon said.

Zelda was confused. "Wait—we all—"

"Ahem!" Rauru said. "This was supposed to be about the dream you had, my Queen, _not_ about the shadowy figure."

"Although we will want to hear about that also," Saria said, looking pointedly at Rauru.

"Ah—of course," Rauru said, pretending to smile.

"Well," Zelda began, "Ruto, Malon, and myself were standing on top of a hill, facing a barren wasteland, with dark clouds above. Then—"

"Wait!" Impa interrupted. "In the prophecy you first had, the one with Link in it, didn't dark clouds signify Ganondorf Dragmire?"

Realization hit Zelda like an ice cream truck. She gasped, "It did!"

"And I bet," Rauru said excitedly, catching the thread of the conversation, "that they do this time, too!"

Darunia muttered, "Rauru, old chap, didn't know you gambled…" but no one paid him any attention.

"But that would mean Ganondorf is coming back!" Saria exclaimed, oblivious to Darunia's comment. "There's no way he could escape from the void between dimensions where we sent him!"

"Evidently," said Nabooru grimly, "there is."

"Oh, well, that's nice," Malon commented. The Sages looked at her as is she was crazy. "Okay, people, that was sarcasm!" she informed them.

"Oh," said Saria. "It sounds a lot different coming from you than Nabooru."

"I resent that!" Nabooru protested.

"Yes, yes, we know," Ruto said with a wave of her hand. "Zelda, am I correct in thinking that that was not by any means the end of your dream?" she inquired of the Hylian Queen.

"Yes, Ruto," Zelda confirmed, "you are. Impa interrupted me. If I may continue?" she asked, glancing at all the Sages as Darunia gave a slight (for a Goron) snore. "Well, I could see us standing on the hill. All of a sudden, six beams of light shot out of the land in a ring into the clouds, which appeared as if they would break, but they failed to, and the light faded. Then, I changed into Link, and clouds lightened," the aware people in the room were on the edge of their seats, eyes wide, "and then…"

"And then what?" Nabooru demanded, looking anxious. Evidently, she enjoys a good story as much as the next girl does.

"And then I woke up," Zelda finished lamely.

Everyone groaned. "Why the hell did you wake up?!" Nabooru sharply inquired. Or rather, shouted. "Shards, woman!"

"It's not like I tried to! There was a large bang, then dog barked and a cat growled," Zelda exclaimed, feeling a little put on the spot. "Sorry I'm a light sleeper!"

"Oh," Nabooru said sheepishly. "Sorry."

Ruto rolled her eyes. "Well, my dream was the same, essentially, but it went past where Zelda woke up, and small things were different. The wasteland was frozen, and the beams of light were color-tinted beams of ice, and Zelda turned into Link, but he looked like he had during his Hero of Time days. Except, his hair was too long and too light, more like Zelda's blond, and his eyes were the wrong color, and his eyelashes were longer." She took a deep breath, then continued, "And after Zelda changed into Link, the clouds got lighter."

Everyone nodded; they'd already heard this from Zelda. "Then there was a flash, and there was another Link, standing next to Zelda-Link. The second Link looked exactly like the Hero of Time who saved the world. ("With a little help from his friends," Malon murmured to Zelda, who nodded.) The clouds got lighter again, to almost white, the lightest gray, and started to break up, but they stopped. Then they both drew their swords, the Links, I mean, and the clouds began to break up once more. Then they both sheathe their swords and fired—uh, Light Arrows, I think—into the clouds from their bows, and the clouds disappeared in a blinding flash of light. The land thawed, and Zelda became herself again, and we were in a green field, still on top of a hill, and we all hugged, and the dream ended. At least," she added, "I think so…" she trailed off. She took a deep breath. She rarely spoke so much at once.

"Malon commented lightly, "You know, you're not quite as good a storyteller as Zelda."

"What?" Ruto demanded.

"You know, she's right," Saria said. Rauru and Impa wisely kept silent.

"Absolutely right. But then again," Nabooru added, "very few people can tell a story like the seventh Sage." Zelda blushed. You'd think that, as a queen, she'd be used to compliments. Well, she was, but Nabooru rarely gave compliments to anyone, and they were _never_ given lightly. Ever.

"Well, I guess you're right," Ruto reluctantly conceded.

Impa cleared her throat. Everyone's head swiveled to face her. "Malon, I believe you said you also had a dream," she pointed out.

"Oh, yes!" Malon said, remembering. "Well, as far as I can remember, it ended right after the second Link showed up. But," she added by way of warning, "my memory of the dream is very vague."

"Oh," everyone said, looking either crestfallen or severely disappointed.

"Excuse me," Saria said, breaking the silence. "I think Queen Zelda, Queen Ruto, and Miss Malon all had some sort of visitation from a shadowy figure who seemed at once a number of conflicting characteristics?"

"Oh!" the three mentioned exclaimed. "That's right," Zelda confirmed. "Thanks, Saria," she told the physically younger Forest Sage.

"Well," Zelda told them, "I merely saw the dark figure, then I blinked. And it was gone," she said dramatically. The Sages resisted the urge to applaud.

"At first," Malon began, "that's how it was for me. I mean, I saw it then I tried to talk to it, but I sneezed instead. After I bathed and dressed, I saw it again, by the door. I asked who was there and it gave a very cryptic answer in response."

"Cryptic? How?" Rauru quickly asked.

"Well, it said a lot of things that contradicted itself." Malon went on to describe the sort of things it had told her. "And then it said, 'I have a message for you, and all people: Listen. Goodbye, Malon,' then I blinked, and it was gone again."

"And you?" Impa asked Ruto.

"Well," Ruto began, "I saw him and asked how he got in, and he replied 'By magic'. Then I asked what he was and he said—"

"Wait," Nabooru interrupted, "why do you keep saying 'him'?"

"Well," Ruto responded, "I just got that impression. Anyway after I asked what he was, he said he was a messenger. Then he told me, as he told Malon, to listen. And he was gone. But then, later, as I was adjusting my robe in the mirror, I could see him, but only in the mirror." She paused to take a break.

"Interesting," Impa murmured.

"Go on," Saria encouraged her.

"And I asked what he wanted, and he replied nothing, that he was only a messenger. The problem was, my ears – ("Do Zoras even _have_ ears?" Malon asked Zelda quietly. "Shh!" Zelda replied.) –couldn't hear his voice, it was only in my head. I asked why he was there, and he said something about hitting a snag, because he honestly didn't know. And I asked him something else, which is not important, and he clammed up, so to speak. I could still see him in the mirror, but he stood still and said nothing." She blinked relieved to be finished. Zelda was normally the one telling stories and describing odd occurrences, and Ruto found it odd that she had seen and heard the most. It unsettled her.

"Very interesting…" Impa muttered. Saria chewed her lip, looking thoughtful. Rauru was staring blankly at a wall, which he always did when he was thinking and getting nowhere. Zelda had put her face in her hands and blocked out the room and the people in it. Nabooru looked completely vexed. Malon chewed on her thumbnail, as if eating her thumb would enlighten her.

"I wonder what this all means…" Rauru spoke quietly.

"Isn't it obvious? The arrows Link and Zelda-Link shot into the dark clouds in the dreams _were _Light Arrows, Ganondorf's weakness. And, Link will obviously come back before Ganondorf is defeated, for Ganon cannot be defeated by any but the Hero of Time, though extra force may be needed. We would need more information about this shadowy messenger to understand him fully, but as he seems to not know much more than he told the girls, it may be difficult to solve that little problem. Somehow, I think that 'little problem' will be crucial in defeating Ganondorf." Everyone blinked a few times as they tried to process several things; first, what had been said, and second, who had said it. Everyone just looked at Darunia, pure amazement on their faces. "What?" he asked, confused.

Rauru just shook his head. Nabooru, however, asked him, "How the hell do you _know_ all that? Weren't you asleep?"

"Well…." Darunia began, "I wasn't _really _asleep. And if I was, apparently, I heard everything and my subconscious processed it."

"Oh!" Saria said. "And because you were asleep, and people think fast when they're sleeping or trying to sleep, you came to those conclusions a lot faster than even the most intelligent awake person could have." The other Sages had a look of amazement on their faces. Saria sighed. "We've gone over this before, just because I _look_ young doesn't mean I _am._ The goddesses wouldn't have chosen a child to be a Sage." The other Sages had the grace to look abashed, as they had indeed heard this before, but were prone to forget it as a result of Saria's quietness.

"Sorry," said Nabooru. Saria smiled a thanks at her.

"Well," Rauru said, breaking up the silence that had fallen as a result of the Sages' embarrassment, "perhaps we should all go home. We can think this over and if any of us realizes anything, we can notify the others."

"Okay," Saria agreed. She said a quick goodbye to everyone and pulled out an ocarina. She played a short tune on it and disappeared as the light carried her away.

"Well, then," Nabooru said, back in the house, "be seeing you." And with that, she walked out the door. Once outside, she glanced around to make sure no one was watching, threw something down and disappeared in a flash, like a Sheikah. Impa had taught her how, but Nabooru had decided to keep it a secret. After all, she was a warrior, and knew that it was unwise for your enemies to know everything you could do.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, only not, because what is really meant by saying that was "back in Impa's house", Malon finished her conversation and said, "Alright then. See you, guys," and headed back to the ranch on Merlin, her midnight black stallion.

As Malon saddled up, Darunia said his farewells and began to roll up the mountain to the Goron city. When he got back, he went immediately to his chambers and fell asleep, quickly out like a rock.

Meanwhile, Zelda, Ruto, and Impa were unaware of that horrible pun as they discussed things after Rauru left.

"What I don't understand," Impa was saying, "is how and why Ruto saw more than you, Princess." Even though Zelda was now Hyrule's queen, Impa still called her "Princess". If anyone but Impa tried that, they would pretty much be dead.

"Yes, indeed," Ruto responded. "We have all become to having Zelda know and see nearly everything. I believe we must all be puzzled. Nothing like that has ever happened to me before now."

Impa sighed, "Yes."

"Well," Ruto said, breaking the awkward silence, "I really must be going. My advisors get horridly worried about me," she explained, walking out the door.

"So," Zelda said once Ruto closed the door behind her, "where _were _you, Impa?"

"Queen Zelda," Impa began solemnly, "even if you _are_ the Queen, there are still times when you will not know all you wish to know." She paused, allowing Zelda's impatience to build. "This, she said slowly, "is one of those times."

Zelda looked furious. She pouted for a few moments, then said curtly, "Goodbye, Impa," with a nod of her head as she turned on her heel and went out of the house.

One out, Zelda strode over to where she had tied Snowflake. She untied her and adjusted the saddle straps. She silently fumed at Impa as she rode back to the castle.

Impa let out a deep breath after Zelda left. "Safe," she breathed, collapsing onto a chair.

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Now, again, sorry for the delay, but it's here now. So, please leave a review telling me what you thought. I don't consider criticism flaming, and if I screwed up, I would like to know. So, I must leave you with those words. Farewell. Disappears mysteriously into the afternoon


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